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Luxury Small Ship Cruises

A recognized global leader in luxury small ship cruises, Aqua Expeditions explores the world’s most biodiverse and culturally significant destinations aboard best-in-class vessels of stylish contemporary design. Expect tailored five-star itineraries, a highly-exclusive 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, world-class dining, and expert-guided activities and excursions. With only 16-40 guests per ship, Aqua’s small luxury cruises offer an unparalleled level of personalization, with experiences curated to suit every guest’s desires.

Luxury river cruises

In the Mekong Delta and the Peruvian Amazon, our state-of-the-art vessels set a new standard for river cruising. Floor-to-ceiling windows offer a constant view of the endless panorama – revealing each destination’s best-kept secrets, from the inner workings of floating villages to the magic of the legendary pink dolphins. After days of adventure and discovery, enjoy world-class cuisine on board and wind down in our elegantly designed social spaces.

Ocean cruises

Discover the world’s most pristine waters in East Indonesia and the Galapagos Islands, while sailing on our luxurious superyachts. Enjoy a series of tailor-made excursions with opportunities to snorkel, dive, and hike in search of rare endemic species. While on board, continue your exploration through cuisine inspired by the region and curated by world-renowned chefs. With a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, the Aqua experience is guaranteed to cater to your every need.

Each of Aqua’s luxury cruises are designed with close attention to detail, keeping in mind the unique characteristics of each destination. The vessels feature amenities such as plunge pools, jacuzzis, and spa treatment rooms, ensuring that every day of adventure ends with a return to a tranquil floating sanctuary. Each ship’s menu is curated by world-renowned chefs, offering a multi-sensory experience and a deeper insight into the local region. With year-round sailings for individual travelers and charter bookings open as well, Aqua promises memories that will last a lifetime.

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Aqua Expeditions Cruises

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This Lima, Peru-based company operates year-round river cruises, taking travelers on a luxurious journey to the sources of the Amazon, the remote Pacaya Samiria Reserve, and beyond with outstanding wildlife viewing and shore excursions into the Amazon rain forest and jungle. In 2014, Aqua Expeditions expanded into Southeast Asia with riverboat trips on the Mekong River.

Use the Aqua Expeditions cruise schedule calendar below to find a Aqua Expeditions cruise sailing by destination, departure port, or on a specific Aqua Expeditions cruise ship.

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Aqua Expeditions Did Not Disappoint! - Amazon River

• South America    
• Peru    
• Loreto Region    
• Iquitos    
• Iquitos - Things to Do    
• Amazon River

Aqua Expeditions Did Not Disappoint!

Although this cruise carries a pretty hefty price tag it was worth every penny. The food was terrific, the accomodations very comfortable, the wildlife amazing and best of all, the staff was incredible! It truly was the crew and guides that made the cruise so special. They made a huge effort to get to know all 33 of the guests by name and remember their favorite drink or food. The guides that took us out on skiffs everyday were extemely adept at finding animals and very knowledgable when it came to river life and the many mammals, fish and birds we saw (three toed sloths, red howler monkeys, owl monkeys, squirrel monkeys, caimans, pink river dolphins, parakeets, macaws, pirhana, tree frogs, etc). We were very fortunate to have Jean Michel Cousteau and his lovely wife Nan on the cruise with us which made it even more special. As somone who travels both personally and professionally, I have come to put a premium on customer service and Aqua Expeditions provided some of the best service I have ever experienced. We chose the 4 night cruise and it was the perfect amount of time. I highly recommend Aqua Expeditions!!

Went on the 4-Day Cruise on the Amazon Aria after a week in Cusco/Machu Picchu. Added bonus was that this was one of the cruises that they do with Jean-Michelle Cousteau, and it was a pleasure having him aboard and doing talks about challenges the Amazon is facing. As noted in other reviews this is not bargain travel - look elsewhere for that. But if you want luxurious rooms, awesome service (our room was cleaned 3 times a day which THRILLED my wife), excellent guides and skiffs, and incredible food, spend the extra money - it's worth it. Also bring your sense of adventure - we tried a lot of different foods, local fruits, local preparations by a top-rated Peruvian chef. Some not necessarily in line with American tastes, some a pleasant surprise but I loved trying it all. Buffet breakfast and lunch, plated dinner - you could count on something unusual for every meal if you wanted, and the staff was amenable to making changes for special dietary requests (i.e. vegetarian). Visits to the Amazon villages and touring Iquitos were eye-opening, and swimming in one of the dark-water tributaries - awesome! I would recommend investing in a good set of binoculars or a telephoto camera lens - as the guides say, this is not a zoo so you do need to spot animals in the wild sometimes from a distance. Lastly, the other guests on the cruise were from all over the world, and was great getting to know them! A few we joined as they did the 7-day cruise, and they said there was plenty of variety and the extra days allowed them to sometimes just hang out on the boat if they didn't feel like doing an excursion, So if this is your one time going to the Amazon, do it right - highly recommend the Aria Amazon.

We did a 4-day trip and it was worth every cent! Luxurious rooms with full windows - from ceiling to floor - towards the Amazon. Food was divine and definitely the best we had in Peru (would have been best in comparison to many places) Exceptionally friendly , knowledgable and trustworthy personal.

The most disappointing tour I have ever taken. The Amazon is outstanding but I would urge you to go with another tour group. The itinerary was not followed other than you are on the Amazon River. You spend 80% sitting around on the main vessel not seeing anything. I’ve done other tours with them a few years ago and was slightly disappointed but had heard they were much better now. Not the case-perhaps satisfactory if you have never travelled anywhere.

We travelled with Aqua Expeditions on the Aria......the guides were exceptionally good and the crew were superb. Our travel agent was Belmond/Journeys of Peru who organised our entire trip across Peru and our Amazon expedition with Aqua. My family would highly recommend a trip on the Amazon. On safety, Aqua are beyond careful in every respect and I would prefer Aqua to any alternative. Food/service/bar/relaxation areas were all exceptional especially taking into account that we were on the Amazon River. The Captain found some of the most wonderful places to take us to...when visiting any of the (presumably) hundreds of Amazon villages, nothing is pre-arranged and so none are tourist "set-ups." You are meeting the real people who are even surprised at the visit but so interested in their visitors. The children in the villages in particular tale so much delight in meeting us, especially those with blonde hair! We always bought whatever villagers were selling...it really is a privilege to meet these people and make them feel appreciated. Nothing costs much and if all visitors bought something it would make the residents so happy. The pre-trip information from Aqua to take along minor items, easily and readily obtainable by us (at barely any cost) to give to the children as gifts, was clearly so appreciated. The village children were particularly fascinated at looking at photos of themselves which we took to show them on mobiles and which they spent quite a while, marvelling at. This type of trip is probably good for the soul and for one's well-being. Sadly, I can find getting to these places from the UK stressful as travel is these days...but it is well worth the grief of travel to get out onto the Amazon. I have no hesitation in recommending an Aqua Amazon trip and also Belmond's Journey's of Peru who organised our entire visit to Peru so very perfectly. I doubt Peru gets any better than this. Please see my reviews of the Belmond Hotels in Peru

The overall take: in terms of value for money - this cruise is probably overrated by 20-30%. Still an amazing experience - that’s noted - but Delfin can make it 5 stats if it tried harder to deliver on the expectations it creates. As there seems to be not many alternative to see the Amazon area in luxury, if you want to see the Amazon area in luxury this is a good option if you accept it is overpriced, mainly for the service you get (see below). And luxury can be important if you can afford it because travelling in the Amazon area is underscored by a strong dominating feature, namely mosquitos and bugs. I say “Amazon area” because you don’t actually cruise on the Amazon but on a couple of rivers that go into the Amazon. More details: Duration - 3 nights but really two days and a bit of the afternoon of the first day. On the last day you are already at home base in the morning and pushed out to get off the boat by 8am before schedule. The “activity” on the last day is on land by car after you’ve left the boat. Service - this was the key disappointing feature for us and the other guests (all experiences travellers). The impression you have when you get on the boat is that the staff lack energy and are tiered of more new faces. This impression did not change till the end of the cruise. There was nothing happy or enthusiastic about the service. After all the hype about the service here this was a dive. The crew ticked the boxes they needed to tick and that’s that. Robotic. No initiative. If you don’t ask or you don’t know you don’t get. The company promises and presupposes superb first class service to the extent they tell you how much you are expected to tip in a letter you get before you get to Peru. This builds expectations. These expectations were obviously not met. This whole situation around service expectations and staff morale on this boat can and should be addressed as it is lose lose lose to the guests to the staff and to the company. Food - good lunches and very good dinners. A great outdoors breakfast second day. However, not much to nibble on (eg nuts) outside the 3 meals. Suites - very good and nice but getting tiered and could be cleaner, and need to refreshed as in face lift. No matter how much the staff will clean your suite if the sofa cover is stained it needs to be re-covered. Activities - they are mostly good and the swimming afternoon was simply superb. The reality is that there is not much more to do and during most if the day it iVery hot and full of bugs. The company cannot control the bugs or the weather so the activities are well thought through and well planned and executed. Very happy with activities and guide there. The cruising - there is less “cruising” then you may expect as you are mostly moving around one Large area (and you don’t cruise down the Amazon river). Overall experience - if you want to do the Amazon area then it is a great option and probably one of your best bets and hopefully with better service and a more exciting last day. If you want to do nature in general rather than the Amazon there are probably better things to do with this amount of money in Peru.

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Aria Amazon Cruise

A luxury 5-star floating paradise sailing across the enigmatic peruvian amazon river.

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Aria Amazon

The Aria Amazon is a river cruise ship retreat featuring eco-sensitive technology, natural scenes, and modern comforts. Designed by Peruvian architect and interior designer Jordi Puig, the state-of-the-art vessel was custom-built to explore the Peruvian Amazon and the famed Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in absolute comfort and luxury, with minimal impact to the delicate Amazon River and Rainforest environment.

On board 16 contemporary suites, with interconnecting family suites available, boast polished sustainably sourced natural wood, signature floor-to-ceiling windows, rain showers and organic bath amenities. The dining area is bedecked in fine China, crystal, and Peruvian art, serving meals that pay tribute to Amazonian cuisine, presented in contemporary and grand fashion, and paired with renowned South American wines. Indulge in an on-deck therapeutic spa treatment from internationally trained wellness therapists with essential oils made from indigenous ingredients sourced in the highlands of Peru and Amazonia, or alternatively head to the ship’s top deck which features a jacuzzi, indoor lounge and bar, and an outdoor observation deck.

With a 1:1 crew-to-guest ratio, guests are assured the most fulfilling, life-enriching Amazon River experience, complete with up-close-and-personal wildlife encounters. Multilingual expert naturalist guides lead tailored small-group excursions, no larger than 12 guests, to the source of the Amazon River, the Amazonian city of Iquitos, and the Pacaya Samiria Reserve. From the unique wildlife and plant life to the local communities and their long-standing traditions, learn all about this incredibly rich and varied destination. The vessel’s custom-designed ergonomic, low-emissions fleet of private speedboats take guests deep into the wild and beautiful Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve while eEducational talks and documentaries are hosted in the ship’s airy glass lounge delicately painted in soft light and furnished with plump couches, ensuring a holistic and fascinating Amazon River journey.

Aria Amazon operates alongside the Aqua Nera, taking guests into the depths of the Peruvian Amazon in the ultimate comfort of luxury.

What we love about Aria Amazon Cruise

• Skiff rides up the Amazon River to view pink dolphins and piranha up close in their natural environment with sly capuchins, colourful macaws and tropical toucans peeking out from the forest canopies
• Embark on an array of other unique Peruvian Amazon experiences, including village biking, kayaking, piranha fishing and swimming
• Taste the true palate of the Peruvian Amazon with a comprehensive dining menu created and overseen by the ship’s world-renowned consulting chef, Pedro Miguel Schiaffino – one of Peru’s most accomplished chefs well-known for his innovative rainforest-influenced cuisine

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